Identity Theft Blog » Identity Theft Tips

15 Staggering Identity Theft Crime Statistics

Cole — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:32:58 +0000

Do you know the annual cost of identity theft? Looking to assess your chances of becoming an identity theft scheme victim? We compiled 15 of the most staggering identity theft crime statistics for you.

They are numbers you truly have to see to believe:

1. Identity theft affected 10 million people last year, according to a 2009 Javelin Strategy & Research Center study compiling identity theft crime statistics. That’s up 22% from 2007.

2. The mean cost of identity theft per ID theft victim is $500, the Javelin study found.

3. According to the Javelin study, 71% of identity fraud occurs within a week of stealing the victim’s personal information.

4. Stolen wallets and physical documents accounted for 43% of identity thefts last year, while online methods accounted for 11%, according to the Javelin study.

5. Last year, the most common form of identity theft was credit card fraud, accounting for 20% of all reported complaints, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

6. Since the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel database was created in 1997 for theft, scam and other consumer complaints, it has collected more than 7.2 million reports of fraud and ID theft.

7. According to the FTC, Arizona has the highest per-capita rate of identity theft, followed by California and Florida.

8. The Justice Department reported that in 2005 1.6 million households experienced fraud not related to credit cards (bank account fraud, debit card fraud, etc.).

9. Households with incomes larger than $70K were 2x more likely to experience ID theft, according to the Justice Department.

10. Last year, more than 35 million records were stolen in corporate and government data breaches, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center Aftermath Study.

11. The Aberdeen Group reports that businesses around the world lose $221 billion every year from identity theft.

12. According to security company Gartner, 3% of all phishing scams are successful.

13. 57 million adults have been exposed to some form of a phishing scam, according to Gartner.

14. Of those 57 million, 1.78 million have become victims of a phishing attack, Gartner reports.

15. Every 79 seconds, an identity thief steals someone’s personal data, opens an account in the victim’s name and goes on a buying spree, according to Equifax and CBS News.

These identity theft crime statistics no doubt are frightening. But you can reduce your risk of becoming a victim by being proactive, following best practice advice for protecting your personal information and investing in an identity protection service.

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Are You Safe From Medical Records Theft?

Cole — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:06:02 +0000

Sure, you relentlessly guard your Social Security number.

True, you go above and beyond to safeguard your credit card information.

And not even the wisest identity thief could crack your passwords.

But are you safe from medical records theft, too?

You may not even realize you need to protect your medical information. But a growing number of identity theft victims are victims of medical records theft. According to a 2007 Federal Trade Commission survey, the most recent of its kind, there were 3 times as many medical information theft victims in 2005 compared to 2001. Medical identity thieves may use your information to:

• Pay for pricey surgeries or procedures

• Obtain medication illegally

• Bill Medicare or Medicaid for equipment or care that was never received

As a consequence of medical records theft, your credit could be harmed, you could be harassed by debt collectors and you could have a difficult time finding employment. Other consequences are even more frightening. If your records contain false information on blood type, allergies or history of disease, your doctor could easily mistreat or misdiagnose you.

Protect yourself—and your medical identity—with these 6 easy tips:

1. Only give your personal information to doctors and authorized healthcare workers.

2. Request your records from anyone who treats you.

3. If you find something wrong in your records, tell your doctor. According to HIPPA, he or she has 90 days to respond.

4. Ask your doctor about the safety measures he or she takes. Are the electronic medical record systems routinely audited? Do they require a photo ID to be treated? Are records password-protected?

5. Find out how your insurance provider is protecting your information. Does the insurer use software to screen for anything suspicious?

6. Finally, if you think you are a victim of medical records theft, immediately contact the U.S. Health and Human Services Fraud Hotline at 800-447-8477 or the FTC ID Theft Hotline at 877-438-4338.

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Are Your Kids’ Identities Safe Online? Follow These 8 Tips

Cole — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:00:27 +0000

Are your kids safe online? Children these days spend hours on the Internet, whether they’re doing their homework, playing games or communicating with friends. But could they be losing their identities online, as well?

As a parent, you’ve likely set some parameters for keeping your kids safe online: the sites they can visit, the hours they can spend online and the people they should steer clear of. But identity thieves become savvier and more cunning every day.

Follow these 8 tips to ensure the identities of your kids are safe online:

1. Teach your kids to keep their personal information secure. Encourage them to keep their profile pages on social media websites private. They should avoid offering information like their home address, phone number and last name to the public on those sites.

2. Require your kids to ask your permission before registering for any site. As a parent, you’ll want to make sure the site is safe, secure and appropriate for your child. HINT: When submitting information online, make sure there is a lock icon on the browser’s status bar and that it is locked.

3. Tell your kids to ask your permission before downloading any software or application. Again, you’ll be able to assess whether that application or software is legitimate, or whether it could give your computer a virus or install spyware onto the machine.

4. Give them a lesson in passwords. Keep your kids safe online by helping them come up with a password that is fun, unique and secure. Make sure the password includes both letters and numbers, and has at least 8 characters. Also, devise a schedule with your kids to change the password every so often—perhaps once a school semester.

5. Teach them to distinguish unsolicited email from messages from trusted sources. Tell them not to open any emails from unknown sources. More importantly, teach them to only download attachments in email messages if the sender is completely trusted and known.

6. Keep your antivirus and antispyware software up-to-date. This safety precaution is more on you, the parent. But for older children, consider teaching them how to scan for viruses and check for updates.

7. Talk openly with your kids about online identity theft. You may be concerned that you’ll frighten them. But teach them to be prepared and safe by using age-appropriate language that they’ll understand. An open dialog may be your best bet to ensure your kids’ identities are safe online.

8. Protect your children and yourselves even further with an identity theft protection service. Monitor your own as well as your children’s identities to ensure no one has stolen your personal information.

For Preventing Identity Theft Online: 5 Must-Follow Tips

College Student Safety: Identity Theft a Concern as Students Head Back to School

Cole — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:00:17 +0000

September is National Campus Safety Awareness Month and the time college students are making their way, sometimes for the first time, to unfamiliar college campuses. Many parents are worried about college student safety and their child being away from home–but many never dreamed that they would have to worry about their child’s identity being stolen and possible financial ruin.

College students have always been easy marks for identity theft because their credit is ripe for the taking. Students’ Social Security numbers have traditionally been openly displayed on student badges, testing information, in filing cabinets and databases all over campus. Landlords and those involved in campus housing also have access to students’ identifying information.

Uni-Ball pens and the Identity Theft Resource Center surveyed 1,000 college students and 1,000 parents on college student safety in its Campus Security Survey. The findings revealed that about 74% of parents believe students are at a moderate to high risk for identity theft, while 21% of students are concerned about identity thieves. However, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center, 30% of all identity theft complaints come from 18- to 29-year-olds.

The study concluded, “Students who ignore their own personal security are not only putting themselves at risk for identity theft, they are also putting their parents at risk. While getting established in the real world, its common practice among college students to use their parents’ names, bank account numbers and other personal information to co-sign loans and leases, write tuition and housing checks, register online to receive grades and more. So when online criminals strike, they are often manipulating parents’ personal data, not just the students’.” Any parent sending their children off to college should be concerned about college student safety.

Other interesting finding from the Campus Security Survey:

89% of parents have discussed college student safety measures with their kids, yet kids continue to engage in risky behavior
40% of students leave their apartment or dorm doors unlocked
40% of students have provided their Social Security numbers online
50% of students shred sensitive data
9% of students share online passwords with friends
1 in 10 have allowed strangers into their apartments
Only 11% use a secure pen (which can prevent check washing fraud) when writing checks

College Student Safety: How to Protect Yourself and Your Identity

1. Lock your doors! The transient nature of college life means people are coming and going and thievery is more likely to happen. Just because you may come from a small town and do not lock your doors, that doesn’t make it OK at school.

2. Limit the amount of information you give out. While you may have to give out certain private data, refuse whenever possible.

3. Shred everything! Old bank statements, credit card statements, credit card offers and other account number bearing documents need to be shredded when no longer needed.

4. Lock down your PCs. Make sure your Internet security software is up-to-date. Install spyware removal software. Lock down your wireless connection. Use strong passwords that include upper and lowercase letters as well as numbers. And never share passwords.

5. Secure your signature. Use Uni-Ball gel pens to write rent checks and sign documents. They cost as little as $2 and contain Uni “Super Ink,” which is specially formulated to reduce document fraud and check washing, a popular form of identity theft.

6. Be alert for online scams. Never respond to emails or text messages that are purportedly coming from your bank. Always log into your bank account manually via your favorites menu.

7. Invest in Intelius Identity theft protection and prevention. Not all forms of identity theft can be prevented, but identity theft protection services can dramatically reduce your risk.

By Robert Siciliano, identity theft expert and speaker, who discusses Identity Theft Protection and Check Washing on TBS’s Movie and a Makeover.

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ID Theft Expert Robert Siciliano Explains How to Protect Yourself

Cole — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:00:19 +0000

In light of the recent data breach involving a former informant for the Secret Service in which some 130 million credit card numbers were compromised, ID theft expert Robert Siciliano appeared on Danny Fontana on Finance to explain some simple proactive steps that everyone can take to protect themselves from having their identities stolen.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Identity Theft of Children: How to Protect Your Family

Cole — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:17:10 +0000

Identity theft is scary and surprising when it comes from the hands of a stranger. But think of what it must feel like if your own family members stole your identity and used it for their own financial gains?

Identity theft of children is a serious concern. Jason Truxel was denied a mortgage because of bad credit. When he pulled his credit reports, he discovered a tremendous amount of debt and accounts he had never opened. One such account showed that a credit card had been opened in his name when he was only 13 years old. Jason found out the hard way that he was a victim of child identity theft. More horribly, Jason found out that the man who stole his identity and ruined his credit was his own father. Jason’s dad told him that he would “never be able to prove anything,” but he was convicted of credit card fraud when credit cards with Jason’s name were found at his home.

Identity theft of children has also affected 11-year-old Diamond Daye. However, it was his mother that is the identity thief. She’s 31, and owes thousands in rent, cell phone and cable bills–all in Diamond Daye’s name.

Identity theft of children is a growing problem. The Federal Trade Commission estimates that there are 500,000 new victims every year. The culprits are often parents, since they have direct access to their kids’ personal information. Irresponsible parents in financial debt apply for credit in their children’s names.

It’s easy–all a parent needs is a child’s Social Security number. Creditors often fail to verify the applicant’s age, and simply accept the application. Children rarely discover that they are victims of identity theft until they are adults and are denied credit or employment because of their negative credit history.

Parents can prevent identity theft of their children by regularly requesting fraud alerts and ensuring the credit hasn’t been issued under their child’s name.

How to Protect Against Identity Theft of Children

1. Protecting yourself from new account fraud requires a credit freeze, or setting up your own fraud alerts in your and your child’s name. This provides an extra layer of protection and can prevent the opening of new line of credit.

2. Consider making an investment in Intelius Identity Theft Protection and Prevention. This award-winning service includes a Free Credit Report, SSN monitoring, Credit & Debit Card monitoring, Bank Account monitoring, Email fraud alerts, Public Records Monitoring, Customizable “Watch List”, $25,000 in ID theft insurance, Junk Mail OptOut and Credit Card Offer OptOut and much more.

Your child is your most important asset, and we all want our children to have a bright future. By protecting their identity now, they can become anyone they want and do anything they dream.

By Robert Siciliano, identity theft speaker and guest speaker on Fox News.

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The Latest Identity Theft Scheme Involves Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke

Cole — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:18:06 +0000

Ben Bernanke

It recently became frighteningly clear that no one is immune to identity theft schemes, not even Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. On Aug. 25, Newsweek reported that Bernanke was one of hundreds of victims in an elaborate identity theft scheme. Led by Clyde Austin Gray Jr., who has pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, the criminals stole more than $2.1 million from hundreds of consumers and 10 financial institutions.

What makes this identity theft scam so unique is it combined the high-tech with the traditional: The thieves pick-pocketed unsuspecting people in retail stores and at sporting events to obtain checks, credit cards and other personal records. Next, the criminals would reproduce phony IDs with the victims’ information but with their own photos.

Bernanke became a victim of the scam last summer when his wife’s purse was stolen from the back of her chair at a Washington D.C. Starbucks. The pick-pocket made out with his wife’s Social Security card, 4 credit cards and the couple’s joint account check book. Of course, that pick-pocket wasn’t the typical criminal out for a few hundred dollars; he was a part of extensive crime ring led by Gray.

Identity theft schemes like this reinforce the need to “go back to basics” to protect yourself. Follow these tips to avoid becoming the victim of pick-pocketing:

• Carry your cash and credit cards in separate pant pockets or in separate areas of your purse.

• Don’t carry your wallet in a back pants pocket. Instead, keep it in an inside jacket pocket or a front pants pocket.

• Don’t carry a purse in your hand because it can be easily knocked away. Instead, wear a bag with a shoulder strap and keep the outside flap toward your body.

• Make sure purses are zipped up or closed at all times.

• Never carry your Social Security card in your purse or wallet.

• Keep a list of credit card numbers, drivers license number and check card numbers—as well as the phone numbers of all issuing banks and credit card companies.

• Lastly, always remain alert. Be especially vigilant in crowded places such as shopping centers, at ATMs and at store checkout counters where you might lay down your belongings.

If you do find yourself a victim of pick-pocketing, follow these 5 steps immediately:

1. Report stolen credit and debit cards to the issuing companies. That’s where your list of phone numbers and card numbers will come in handy. You may also want to follow up with written letters detailing the theft.

2. Contact the 3 credit reporting agencies to report the theft. Ask them to attach a fraud alert to your report.

3. Call any other applicable organizations. If your Social Security card was stolen, call the Social Security Administration; if you drivers license was stolen, contact your state’s department of motor vehicles.

4. File a police report. You’ll want to contact the police in the area where your belongings were stolen.

5. Monitor your credit. You may not only be a pick-pocketing victim, but the victim of an identity theft scheme as well. So use an ID protection service to monitor public reports and your credit report, and alert you to any suspicious activity.

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Online Credit Card Theft Affects 130 Million: Learn to Protect Yourself

Cole — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 21:47:41 +0000

As many as 130 million people may be the latest victims of online credit card theft.

Two men were indicted in New Jersey this week for allegedly stealing 130 million credit and debit card numbers. It’s being called the largest identity theft case in American history.

Authorities say the men stole the numbers from credit card processor Heartland Payment Systems, convenience store chain 7-Eleven Inc. and supermarket chain Hannaford Brothers Co., Reuters reports. According to prosecutors, as early as 2006, the men began assessing the list of Fortune 500 companies and identifying potential vulnerabilities in their computer systems.

One of the men arrested, Albert Gonzalez, was indicted a year ago with 10 others for allegedly stealing 41 million credit and debit card numbers from major retailers. That online credit card theft resulted in more than $400 million in damages, Reuters reports.

Protect Yourself From Online Credit Card Theft
This large-scale online credit card theft reinforces the need to safeguard your personal data. Banks and retailers may be doing all they can to protect your and your information, but it’s also your own responsibility to take some precautionary measures.

Follow these 5 quick tips to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of online credit card theft:

1. Never respond to unsolicited emails.

2. Use strong passwords with at least 8 characters and symbols.

3. Keep your system secure with anti-virus software, anti-spyware software and a firewall.

4. Update your web browser and operating system to the latest version.

5. Protect your personal information when disposing of an old computer.

Most importantly, monitor your credit with the help of an identity theft protection service to ensure no one has stolen your personal information. For more on these tips, check out “For Preventing Identity Theft Online: 5 Must-Follow Tips.”

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Are You Safe From the Latest Facebook and Twitter Scams?

Cole — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:13:28 +0000

When you log on to social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter, are you worried about preventing identity theft?

Maybe you should be. Three in 10 people have experienced some type of scam on a social networking site, according to a study by security firm Webroot.

Security Central magazine in July pinpointed 5 of the latest social networking site scams. Ensure identity theft protection by learning and avoiding them:

1. Send me money!

You get a message (a Tweet, a direct message, a wall post, an IM, etc.) from a “friend” who says he is in trouble. He was pick-pocketed in another country and needs you to wire money. Because the scammer hacked into your “friend’s” account, he seems to be a trusted source and knows personal details about you. So you might be convinced to offer up sensitive bank account information.

2. The latest celebrity news!

Be wary of messages that promise new or never-before-heard celebrity gossip. A recent popular scam? Top-secret information about the death of Michael Jackson. The link to the story might ask you to download a file. Instead, you may end up installing some type of malware (short for malicious software) on your computer, which can damage or steal your data.

3. Did you hear what was said about you in this blog?

Whether it’s on your wall, in your inbox or in an instant message, you might be asked an attention-grabbing question. Clicking on the link directs you to a fake login screen, where you are asked to enter your personal information.

4. Update your personal information.

Be on the lookout for messages, emails or requests to update your personal information. These too may lead you to a fake login, where your personal data is stolen.

5. Find out your IQ!

A recent Facebook IQ test application, according to Security Central, asked users for their cell phone numbers in order to receive a text message with the IQ test results. By doing so, users were enrolled in a costly text messaging service. Unfortunately, many people failed to read the fine print.

These scams are no doubt scary, but preventing identity theft online can be achieved by following a few useful tips.

• Use privacy settings to protect your personal information. Limit your private and more sensitive information to “friends” only. Or better yet, exclude it completely.

• Come up with a unique password for your social networking account. Don’t use the same password for online banking, job-related sites, etc.

• Make sure your computer is protected with a reliable firewall and the latest anti-virus and anti-spyware software.

• Use good, old-fashioned common sense and be on guard for any suspicious behavior. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

• Check your credit report to ensure your identity hasn’t been compromised. And use an identity theft protection service that alerts you to any suspicious activity.

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For Preventing Identity Theft Online: 5 Must-Follow Tips

admin — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:29:17 +0000

Preventing identity theft online is vital, and with good reason. In 2008, nearly 10 million people had some type of identity theft crime committed against them. A major part of this is due to the explosion and convenience of online commerce and communication. The good news is that while identity theft is common, a little knowledge goes a long way to help prevent potential issues.

To get you started, here are 5 Must-Follow Tips For Preventing Identity Theft Online:

1) Avoid Identity Thieves and don’t respond to unsolicited emails
Never fill out credit card or personal information on an unsolicited email, despite the name of the person or company the email appears to be coming from. Identity thieves are clever and figure out ways to make it seem like the email is legitimate, even going so far as to create email addresses that mirror those that are from a legitimate company. Keep in mind that reputable companies will never ask for personal information in this manner.

2) Use strong passwords to avoid ID Hackers
While a brute force attack by a hacker into a site with sensitive data such as your bank account is unlikely, you can make it nearly impossible by using a strong password. Remember to make passwords 8 characters in length or greater, and use symbols such as exclamation marks and ampersands.

Also, do not use the same password across all of your sites. That way if someone is able to steal your identity and gains access to one place, they are not able to get in everywhere.

3) Prevent Identity Theft by keeping your system secure
By using anti-virus, anti-spyware software and setting up a firewall on your system and keeping them up to date, the chances of identity theft occurring decrease dramatically. These three items together protect both local files and your web interactions. Identity thieves, viruses and automated scripting software designed to steal your identity all take the path of least resistance, and they will skip over protected computers.

4) Always update your web browser and operating system to the latest version
Software companies and browser developers are constantly updating their software to keep them as secure as possible. By not updating, you leave yourself vulnerable to attacks.

5) Keep your Identity Safe when disposing of an old computer
Just like you would shred old credit cards or sensitive documents, you must do something similar with the disposal of an old computer. Clean the hard drive with a strong “wipe” utility program (such as the free utility Kill Disk) if you are reselling the computer – do not rely on the delete function as your files may still be accessible. If you are merely throwing the computer away, consider pulling out or keeping the hard drive.

Are Your Kids’ Identities Safe Online? Follow These 8 Tips